Short summary

The cohort expect to detect risk children in terms of exercise, diet, alcohol and smoking especially for preventive measures, to find causality between biological and chemical substances, diseases and lifestyle. It is expected to detect specific health problems in children from ethnic groups and study the causes. Furthermore the cohort will elucidate the relationship between infections in childhood and special circumstances related to pregnancy, childbirth, social and environmental conditions.

Rationale

In collaboration between Odense University Hospital, Odense Municipality, the University of Southern Denmark and the Psychiatri in the Region of Southern Denmark it is our intension to monitor future birth cohorts. The aim is to provide new knowledge about children's social, environmental and hereditary factors which either promote health or otherwise cause failure to thrive, somatic, and mental disease. The cohorts will provide new knowledge and thus be helpful in order to initiate preventive and health measures.

Description of the cohort

The Odense Child Cohort is a prospective observational birth cohort. Briefly, newly pregnant women residing in the Municipality of Odense, Denmark between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2012 were recruited at a voluntary information meeting about ultrasound examinations at gestational age (GA) 8-10, at first antenatal midwife visit (GA 15-16), or at the ultrasound examination at Odense University Hospital (GA 12-13). Of the eligible population of 6,707 pregnant women, 4,017 who were informed declined while 2,874 (43%) enrolled in the cohort and 2,549 children are currently participating in the project.

The purpose of the project is to provide in-depth information about the interaction between maternal and child health and the impact of social and environmental factors in order to improve child health and wellbeing. Information is collected from questionnaires, medical record and biological material from parents and child. In addition, information is collected from health visitors, general practitioners, nurseries and school records. Odense Municipality is well suited for this purpose as the population resamples the general population in Denmark. The cohort includes a number of sub-projects e.g. effects of exposure to environmental pollutants, lactation, incidence of infections and allergies in toddler's age, dental health and the importance of vitamin D for pregnancy and toddler age. The language development in infants is examined with emphasis on socially disadvantaged families and ethnic groups. Similarly factors that affect the development of ADHD is being investigated. More sub-projects are emerging on the development of health and opposite failure to thrive, including the importance of exercise and diet throughout childhood.

Odense Child Cohort is financially supported by the Municipality of Odense, the Odense University Hospital, the Region of Southern Denmark, OPEN (Odense Patient Data Exploratory Network), the Psychiatry in the Region of Southern Denmark, The Health Foundation, The Ronald McDonald Child Foundation and many small grants.

Data and biological material

Data will be collected from four cohort's pregnancies and births (2010-2013) in the municipality of Odense, corresponding to approx. 3.000 babies born in a similar number of families. During pregnancy where will be collected data concerning social status, maternal physical data and lifestyle, paternal data and lifestyle and other factors (e.g. sun, pollutans), as well as blood from the expecting mother in gestational week 10-16 and gestational week 28 and blood or hair samples from the father.

Biological material will be collected during childbirth and at the age of 3 month, 18 month, 3 years, 5 years, 7 years, 9 years, 12 years, 15 years and 18 years.

The collection of data will take place at H.C. Andersen Children's Hospital, Odense University Hospital, where other examinations also will take place such as measuring of height and weight, lung function tests etc.

The cohort expects to collect approx. 24.000 blood samples over a time period of 18 years, with the largest amount in the early childhood.

Subprojects

Lack of Vitamin D
Infections during early Childhood
Language Development
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
Chemicals' influence on development of overweigth and allergies
The difference in use of antenatal care
Epigenetics
Genes-enviroment-social interaction in the development ADHD
Breastfeeding - social and biological factors' influence on breastfeeding and lactation length
Detecting alcohol consumption
Dental health
Pediatric reference intervals
Faith and spirituality's impact on families' health
Association between child and maternal health
Parasites in stool samples

Collaborating researchers and departments

H.C. Andersen Children's Hospital, Odense University

• Professor Steffen Husby, DMSc
• Asscociate Professor and Head of Department of Pediatrics Arne Høst, MD, DMSc
• Associate Professor and Leader of Vitamin D group Henrik T. Christensen, MD, PhD
• Visiting Researcher Signe Sparre Beck-Nielsen, MD, PhD
• Clinical Associate Professor Niels Fisker, MD
• Signe Bruun, MD
• Professor Susanne Halken

OPEN Odense Patient data Explorative Network, Odense University Hospital

• Professor and Manager Torben Barington, DMSc

Odense University Hospital

• Hospital Director Judith Mølgaard

Department of Gynecology & Obstetrics, Odense University Hospital

• Clinical Associate Professor Jan Stener Jørgensen, MD
• Head of Midwifery Anette Lund Frederiksen
• Professor Ellen Aagaard Nøhr

Department of Endocrinology, Odense University Hospital

• Dorte Glintborg, MD
• Marianne S. Andersen, MD

Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Odense University Hospital

• Professor Lars Melholt
• Professor Lene Christiansen, MSc, PhD

Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Southern Denmark

• Professor and Research Leader Tina Kold Jensen
• Associate Professor Helle Raun Andersen
• Associate Professor Christine Dalgård
• Professor and Program Manager Greet Schoeters

Department of Language and Communication, University of Southern Denmark

• Professor Dorthe Bleses

Research Unit of Clinical Alcohol Research, University of Southern Denmark

• Associate Professor Lene Bjerregaard

Publications associated with the project

Pregnancy and Birth Cohort Resources in Europe: a Large Oppertunity for Aetiological Child Health Research

; Larsen PS, Kamper-Jørgensen M, Adamson A, Barros H, Bonde JP, Breschianini S, Brophy S, Casas M, Charles MA, Devereux G, Eggesbø M, Fantini MP, Frey U, Gehring U, Grazuleviciene R, Henriksen TB, Hertz-Picciotto I, Heude B, Hryhorzcuk DO, Inskip H, Jaddoe VW, Lawlor DA, Ludvigsson J, Kelleher C, Kiess W, Koletzko B, Kuehni CE, Kull I, Kyhl HB, Magnus P, Momas I, Murray D, Pekkanen J, Polanska K, Porta D, Poulsen G, Richiardi L, Roeleveld N, Skovgaard AM, Sram RJ, Strandberg-Larsen K, Thijs C, Van Eijsden M, Wright J, Vrijheid M, Andersen AM; Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology. Jul 2013, 27, 393-414.

Parity and tanned white skin as novel predictors of vitamin d status in early pregnancy: A population-based cohort study

; Andersen L, Abrahamsen B, Dalgard C, Kyhl H, Beck-Nielsen S, Frost-Nielsen M, Jorgensen J, Barington T, Christesen H.; Clinical endocrinology. 2013 Sep;79(3):333-41

Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers and Perfluoroalkyl Substances in Serum of Pregnant Woman: Levels, Correlations, and Potential Health Implications; Vorkamp K, Nielsen F, Kyhl HB, Husby S, Nielsen LB, Barington T, Andersson AM, Jensen TK. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol. 2014 Jan 24.

Current exposure of 200 pregnant Danish women to phthalates, parabens and phenols; Tefre de Renzy-Martin K, Frederiksen H, Christensen J, Kyhl HB, Andersson AM, Husby S, Barington T, Main KM, Jensen TK.; Reproduction 2014 Mar 2;147(4):443-53.

Human urinary excretion of non-persistent environmental chemicals: an overview of Danish data collected 2006-2012, Frederiksen H, Jensen TK, Jørgensen N, Kyhl HB, Husby, Skakkebæk NE, Main K, Juul A, Andersson AM; Reproduction 2014 Mar 4;147(4):555-65.

Diagnosis of preeclampsia with soluble Fms-like tyrosine kinase 1/placental growth factor ratio: an inter-assay comparison; Andersen LB, Frederiksen-Møller B, Havelund KW, Dechend R, Jørgensen JS, Jensen BL, Nielsen J, Lykkedegn S, Barington T, Christesen HT.; Journal of the American Society of Hypertension. J Am Soc Hypertens. 2015 Feb; 9(2):86-96. doi: 10.1016/j.jash.2014.11.008. Epub 2014 Dec 3.

The Odense Child Cohort: Aims, Design and Cohort Profile; Kyhl HB, Jensen TK, Barington T, Buhl S, Norberg LA, Jørgensen JS, Jensen DFG, Christesen HT, Lamont RF, Husby S.; Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2015 Mar 10. doi: 10.1111/ppe.12183.

Association between perfluorinated compound exposure and miscarriage in Danish pregnant women; Jensen, T.K, Andersen, L.B, Kyhl, H.B, Nielsen, F, Christesen, H.T, Grandjean, P.; Plos One. DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0123496. April, 7, 2015.